Comments on: Family “shocked” by shoe pitchman

By: Kunzang Namdjial

Kunzang Namdjial — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 20:11:45 +0000

I understand the reaction of those people: judging by their name they are Thai nationals and in Thai culture it is a BIG insult to for example point your foot at someone, even worst at a Buddha statue…and it is even worst to use a Buddha statue to present shoes (that are even lower than the foot)

Really one need to know the Thai and the way they react to understand this reaction…what look to be rather trivial to us is very serious to them.
Thailand has VERY restrictive laws in place to avoid any Thai Buddhist statue to end up as mere decoration in Europe.

Last time i was in Thailand i remember a Thai asking about if i knew about some place in Switzerland where they had a Buddha statue displayed in a disco…
Apparently one friend of this person had told him about this and it was big deal for him…Now it was likely a rather obscure disco and i m French, so really why asking me as if i could change it?!?

By: Jo

Jo — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 20:17:45 +0000

I found a statute of the Buddha in the changing room of my hair salon. An innocent, though insensitive and ignorant, effort at exotic “decor”. I spoke to the owner and it was gone before I left that day. I wish I knew where it went, now that I think about it. Most people, in my experience, do not want to offend anyone. I will have to excise Dave, above, from that generalization, however.

By: Tony

Tony — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 16:38:02 +0000

I received this email from Anne Fontaine regarding the Buddha with shoe garland. Apparently the store is VIA ROMA and not Anne Fontaine. Read below:
Dear Tony,

We found this shocking article in the Indian times.

Please be advised that this is not an image of the Anne Fontaine store in Geneva. Anne Fontaine is a French luxury retailer specializing in white blouses and does not sell footwear of any kind. This is an image of our neighbouring store VIA ROMA. Anne Fontaine respects all religions and would never outwardly disrespect or mock the Buddhist faith.

I have attached a picture of our Anne Fontaine shop in Geneva. As you can see, it is totally different from what is shown in the article.

Best regards,

Sales & Marketing Assistant
aNNE FONTaINE INC
110 Greene Street
Suite 301
New York, NY 10012

By: NellaLou

NellaLou — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 06:34:18 +0000

Symbols are powerful things. Why is it illegal to burn the American Flag in the U.S? Isn’t it only a piece of cloth.

By: arunlikhati

arunlikhati — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 05:53:31 +0000

I understand that this statue is "just" a statue, and that the garland of shoes is "just" a garland of shoes. Still for some of us, this composition is symbolically appalling, and others' ignorance of the hugely offensive symbolism is, to put it politely, disappointing. There is a good explanation over at Enlightenment Ward.

By: joe

joe — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 16:12:54 +0000

imagine someone going up to an image of the most sacred thing in your culture and wiping a big green booger across it.
pointing ones feet at someone or putting your shoes on the Buddha are just as offensive to these people.
its a cultural difference. the offense is about the feet/shoes being placed upon the Buddha. This is seen as very disrespectful in Bhutan.

By: Dave "Above The Law"

Dave "Above The Law" — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 01:54:53 +0000

Seriously, fuck anyone who wants to try and force our governments to modify our freedom of speech to suit their own little world. Fuck the people who threatened violence over cartoons and knighting Pakistani writers, and fuck these Bhutanese rubes for trying to involve Swiss authorities. If you’re too provincial to not travel without getting your balls in a twist, stay home.

By: Jamie G.

Jamie G. — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 23:58:01 +0000

Huh?

Write a letter to the government over this? Really?

I guess I am missing the part where this is offensive.

I went through a mall recently and saw a large fat happy Buddha pointing the way inside. I gasshoed and moved on. Big deal.

By: orkneyearl

orkneyearl — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 15:10:21 +0000

I’m not sure how this is a big deal, really. Sure, it’s a little disrespectful, and I’d be surprised to see a statue of Buddha used for this purpose in a more buddhist nation, but in Switzerland I’m more surprised they even thought to use a Buddha statue.

I think the outrage here may be a little displaced. Perhaps, instead of taking furtive photos and sending them to a government agency to get the statue removed, the person may have been better served by speaking quietly and privately with the manager of the store. A simple explanation of how the use of the statue may be in bad taste (in the same way it would be bad taste to display shoes dangling from a crucifix), and that they could be offending customers (some of whom may decide to take their business elsewhere).

Really, though. It’s just a statue. I have a Buddha statue in my home that I make hats for, which it “wears” during special occasions (i.e. a red toque during christmas, a pair of rabbit ears at easter, a green top hat on St. Patrick’s day, etc.). I, for one, think Buddha would think it’s a fun idea.

To each their own, though, I guess.